In the last episode, it was Sarah who served the judges the best dish to not only gain an immunity pin but also, win $10000. In MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 26 we welcome a mystery box challenge that puts the contestants in a zone to get creative and exploratory. The episode is titled ‘Maggie Beer’s Mystery Box’ and has a runtime of 49 minutes.
So yes, as the name goes we have the legendary Maggie Beer in the kitchen in this episode! The mystery box ingredients are chosen by Beer herself. The box consists of Guineafowl, chickpeas, capers, prunes, eggplant, paprika, pistachios and a bunch of fresh herbs. The cooks have to pick at least one ingredient from the box that is compulsorily in their dish. The pantry and the garden are closed but, the under bench pantry has two extra items by Maggie- Vino Cotto and Verjuice.
– MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 26 Recap Contains Mild Spoilers –
The contestants are given 75 minutes to prepare their best dish out of the mystery box ingredient in MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 26. Initially, we see the contestants star struck by Maggie Beer and, a few startled with cooking guineafowls. However, soon enough we see the cooks getting on with their respective dishes. But, not everyone seems confident with their final dish.
Once tasting begins we see Mindy begin the first one to present her dish, which is a Roast Eggplant Salad. And, Maggie Beer calls it a ‘fabulous dish’. Next up is Step whose dish, Frangipane & Prune Tart with Pistachio Cream and Pistachio Praline, is just cooked on a fine line and, fortunately, is just what the judges were looking for. Harry brings to the table an Oven Roast Eggplant with Prune Agrodolce and Parsley Salad. The dish is not received well by the judges, especially due to her eggplant being not seasoned enough and the agrodolce being sticky and jammy.
Montana’s Prune Cake with Rosemary Ice Cream and Caramel and Verjuice Granita is a nice dish of food according to the judges. Alvin has a savoury Custard with Eggplant and Parsley Oil which the judges like. The Sweet Samosa with a Pistachio Ice Cream by Sarah gets good feedback too. Matt’s dish is a first on the table with the game. He presents a Roast Guineafowl with Chickpea and Prune which has undercooked chickpea and an overload of sweetness, unfortunately.
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Melanie puts on the table a Guinea Fowl Maryland with Eggplants and Chickpea Mash. Sadly for our Mel, the dish isn’t great, although Maggie appreciates how the guineafowl is good to eat. Billie is next, who brings to the table a Roasted Guinea Fowl Breast with Parsely Butter and Chickpea Puree. In this particular dish, the Guinea Fowl is good but, everything else needs a little tinkle. Daniel’s Roasted Guinea Fowl is a perfect plate served. Aldo serves Melanzane a Scarpone, which is a stuffed eggplant dish. It is a hit with Maggie which puts Aldo in seventh heaven.
MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 26: The Best & The Weak Dishes
In the final verdict of MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 26, we see the dishes by Matt, Harry, Melanie and Billie are the weakest ones and, are going to be in the upcoming pressure test. The best dish of this mystery box challenge turns out to be by Mindy, Daniel and Aldo.
MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 26: Final Thoughts
Overall, MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 26 is one sweet episode to watch, especially due to the presence of Maggie Beer, who an angel. It was nice to see the cooks try their hand at guineafowls, especially given they haven’t cooked it before. Even the weak dishes had some good elements to them and that also matters, as it is a key aspect of a good cook.
You can watch MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 26 now on Disney+ Hotstar.
Also Read: MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 22 Recap: This Pressure Test is a Memory Game